Coaches Offer Hope, Progress, Answers.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.--(BW HealthWire)--Oct. 19, 1998--

Coaches vs. Cancer Program Unites Coaches and Fans

in the Fight Against Cancer

College basketball coaches spend hours planning and preparing for their opponents.

And for the sixth consecutive season, coaches continue to prepare a game plan off the court in the fight against cancer.

Coaches vs. Cancer, a partnership of the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), is dedicated to reducing the risk of youth cancer. The program utilizes fan contributions to assist research, patient services, advocacy and prevention education of the ACS.

Through the partnership, college basketball coaches work to offer hope, progress and answers to overcome this deadly disease. A few examples of how coaches are making an impact in the fight against cancer include:

o presenting healthy lifestyle education programs during their

summer basketball camps and appearances at elementary schools;

o serving as advocates for tobacco legislation;

o visiting cancer patients to offer hopeful and compassionate

messages during their fight against cancer.

"We are heroes and role models in the minds of a lot of people," said Georgetown Coach John Thompson. "So we have an opportunity to have an impact on a lot of people. The Coaches vs. Cancer program increases the awareness of the dangers of tobacco and the importance of a healthy lifestyle. This isn't something you leave on the sideline and forget. This program is largely concerned with educating people on the significance cancer brings to our lives."

Coaches vs. Cancer assists the American Cancer Society in offering hope to communities by funding programs that help individuals and families facing a cancer diagnosis. It assists the progress made to discover better treatment options and lower incidence and mortality rates from prevention and early detection programs.

"Coaches vs. Cancer is an instrumental part of the American Cancer Society's effort of supplying lifesaving information to help reach our goal of finding the ultimate answer -- a cure for all cancers," said David S. Rosenthal, M.D., president of the American Cancer Society.

For more information, or to make a pledge to Coaches vs. Cancer, fans can call 1-800/ACS-2345.